Cerebellar organoids model cell type-specific FOXP2 expression during human cerebellar development

Abstract

In this study, we demonstrate the potential of cerebellar organoids for studying features of early human cerebellar development. Forkhead box protein P2 (FOXP2) is a transcription factor associated with speech and language development that is highly expressed in the developing brain. However, little attention has been directed to the study of FOXP2 in the early developing cerebellum. We used CRISPR gene editing in human iPSCs to generate a fluorescent FOXP2-reporter line. By combining transcriptomic analysis of iPSC-derived cerebellar organoids with published cerebellar datasets, we describe the expression and identify potential downstream targets of FOXP2 in the early developing human cerebellum. Our results highlight expression of FOXP2 in early human Purkinje cells and cerebellar nuclei neurons, and the vulnerability of these cell populations to neurodevelopmental disorders. Our study demonstrates the power of cerebellar organoids to model early human developmental processes and disorders.